Ladder tape



Dec. 28, 1948; v G. F. BRENT 2,457,442

LADDER TAPE Filed July 14, 1945 5d 10d 9 17a 6d INVENTOR Patented Dec. 28, 1948 LADDER TAPE George F. Brent, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Brent Industries, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 14, 1945, Serial No. 605,074

10 Claims. 1

My invention relates to Venetian blinds, and particularly to the flexible hangers r ladder tapes for supporting the slats of the blinds in suspended position within the area of the window or other opening to be screened.

The conventional hanger or ladder tape of a Venetian blind comprises a pair of elongate, relatively narrow, flexible side tapes or hanger members that are transversely interconnected by a series of cross members. The cross members are spaced apart at uniform intervals longitudinally of the pair of hanger members. In service two or more hangers are secured in horizontally spaced relation to a supporting bar pivoted on a horizontal axis at the top of the window or other opening to be screened, and such hangers extend in parallelism vertically downward from such bar, with the cross members of the several hangers aligned horizontally, to provide support for the vertical series of slats of the blind structure.

The usual hanger or ladder tape is constructed of woven fabric, and the integration of the 'cross members is efiected by interweaving the ends of the cross members of tape into the bodies of the pair of hanger members. The hangers as so constructed are of neat and pleasing appearance, and when new they serve well in their intended capacity. However, hangers of this type are relatively expensive, and additionally such hangers, being formed of fabric, tend to shrink and become distorted when they are washed, as in fact they must be fromtime to time in service.

The object of my invention is to provide a hanger that may be more economically constructed and supplied to the public. I aim to provide a hanger which may be readily cleaned without shrinking and distortion, or in some cases may be so inexpensive as to justify the discarding of soiled hangers, and the replacement thereof with new hangers. I

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a Venetian blind in which a hanger of my invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, showing the blind to larger scale, as seen from the right of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views on the same scale as Figure 2, showing fragmentarily in side, front and top elevation, respectively, the fabricated article of manufacture, that is, the novel material, of which the hangers or ladder tapes of this invention are constructed;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View in perspective of a modified form of the material of which the hangers may be constructed;

Figures '7 and 8 are views comparable with Figure 6, illustrating still other modifications;

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of a variant in the form of a certain element included in the structure of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view generally similar to Figure 2, illustrating a hanger of the invention in still further modified form; and

Figure 11 is a view of the last-mentioned hanger, as seen in cross section on the plane XI-XI of Figure 10.

The showing of Figure 1 will be understood to be diagrammatic, illustratin only so much of a simplified form of Venetian blind structure as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. The blind will be seen to consist of a supporting bar 2 Which carries pins 3 at its two ends, by means of which the bar is mounted in suitable brackets at the top of the openin to be screened. .Two flexible hangers 4, arranged in horizontally spaced relation, are suspended from the bar 2, and it will be understoodthat these hangers comprise each two flexible hanger members 5 and 6 which are spaced one behind the otherin the line of sight in Figure 1. Between. such hanger members cross members or arms 1 (Figure 2) extend to support in vertically spaced relation :1 series of slats 8, the slats being shown in full lines in Figure 1 and dotted lines in Figure 2. It will further be understood that the hanger members will be secured at their lower ends to a basal bar (not shown), and that the blind structure may include means for tilting the supporting bar 2 on the horizontal axis of its'aligned pivots 3, whereby the front and back hanger members 5 and B are shifted vertically, the front hanger members 5 upward and the back hanger members 6 downward, or vice versa, with the effect that the cross arms I and the slats borne thereby are tilted in usual manner.

The conventional Venetian blind includes at least two vertical adjusting cords 9. These cords are anchored at their lower ends to the lowermost slat or basal bar of the blind structure, and extend upward through perforations or openings provided therefor in the slats 8 and supporting bar 2, whence they are trained over pulleys and led. to one side of the blind structure to provide pull-cords for vertically: drawing the slats together, progressively from the bottom slat or basal bar upward, to regulate the effective vertical extent of the blind structure. As the slats are thus drawn together the intervening portions of the flexible hanger members 5 and 6 buckle or flex in known way. For further detail of a Venetian blind structure of the sort here alluded to and in order to exemplify the various types of bliridsiin which the flexible hanger ,ef my inventiommay'be' used, reference is made'to Letters Patent No. 2,012,034, granted to me on August 20, 1935.

In the hanger of my invention the crosstarms I are formed in two parts or elements l an'dil'l, which, extending inward between' the hangers-i and 6, are interengaged byon-e of-the cofds iigand as thus interengaged are caused to provide the 4 the same punch or die operation as severs or stamps the straps from the band. It may be noted that impregnated fabric of the sort mentioned does not unravel in consequence of the punching or shearing operation. And, of course, if the band (5) is formed of a very thin metal, plastic, or other strip material of adequate flexirbilityr'therewiilibe no problemiofr fraying or un- -ravelling'along*-lthe shearedsedges.

If desired, metal or plastic eyelets may be se- -:cured in the perforations I2, to provide smooth cross arms 1 for the supportrofthe slats 8. rThe cross arm elements ID are secured at their outer ends to the flexible hanger member 5,'"an"d--at r elements are indicated by the showing [0a in their inner or distal ends are perforated, as at 1 t2, :t0 receivexthecord 9 i in;sliding ';engagement, wherefore there is noiinterference' withithe roperationaof the- 'cord whenitx'isitdrawn iupwa-rfdf be- '7 tweenrthe hanger members 5Jand 56'; to effect the vertical drawing together :of- :the slats. 'lheinner or zdistal end of each rof the :cross arm 'elements I I 'on". the hangerrmemb'er fi iaretsimilarly formed, so that when .the: two" hanger .membersrSfiand 6 are secure'd': to the -supporting": bar :2,:- as?showntiin Figure 2, the elements In andil lc'arerpairedmvith the perforations lz2"inf.the.?pairsl;in registryrtozpermitf'thethreaidingthroughfif a: cordt9,;:as::shown. Thus, thepaireda'elements i150 and II areilmited to:'formrthexcrossuarms "Iro'f the hanger'tor'zlaidder "tape structure.

Referring to Figures 3 to .5,Ithe:hangers.memb'er :5 Iits :cross :a'rm-i elements I 0 rare :fslrown in :a presently preferred'iformtofl c0nstr.uction;.-:and it visr to bernoted'ithat the-showingrofitheseifigures :in'dicates not :onlytthethangerrmembertsEzzaIrdrits "cross farm felements, sbut serves :toi'illustrater-.=.a1s0 theenovelarticle of manufactureror productwhich may 'be zzprovided Eill continuous llengths, 'rfrom which: sections (of :desired length :may the l'icutf fto TOIIIITIIOt' only the rhanger member '5r-andi'itsrele- :aments 3 t0, but'ithe'rhangerz membertfirand "itstelements t i I,,.' :it r'ibeing onerely rnecessary ito 2 arrange thestwo-isections sofcutfinssectionsiromrthezfcimtinuous length inrfaing reiati'on'wvith' rthe lcross :arm elements ofsth'e'two sections overlapped (Figiureafififor union: by meansrof az cordithreaded vertically through :therperforationsdn ithe @cross iarmrelementsrandi in #the "slats. With if the foregoing references: asitoithermannerr in'which both hanger; membersc5 and i6 (with'itheir cross arm aelements I0 sand-i I'I respectively) may tbe=formed ofz-sectionsccut .to: length'ifrom 'one and the: same material .or :article .of mmanufacture, ill-shall use the'yreference'numeralsi 5 .an'd I0 in descri'bing'ithe ma-terialior articleof manufacture.

wedges therefor, and to improve the slideability ofthe cord 9 through the perforations. The use ref ,SHCh ZBYEIQtMWiH- DG understood without illusttrati'onrherein.

Whereas, the' presently preferred form of the imaterial is .shown in Figures 1 to 5, it will be under stodd that'the cross arm elements may be independently formed. Such independently formed Figure fi. Theyareunitedtoaband portion 5a, 'by means ofcross stitching I I 5. Alternatelylthe windependentlyrformed .eross =arm .elements may be; fashioned, as 'shownini I 0b liniFig'ure '7, fand provided with.laterally.XtendingQflaps- I6, whereby. allaof .the-.cross arm..elements .mayv be united tothe band' 51) by. means zofilongitudinal. lines I I -.ofestitching,.in.\accordance. w ithlthe teaching .of .LettersPatent .No. 2,052,379, granted to .me.;Au- ..gust-25,.1936. JInsteadof thellinesofystitching L5: or. l1, it-will -.be=. understodd. 'that-rivets. 6f one .form. orzanothertmaytbe .nseditto. securelthe ;cross .arm elementstolthe.bandportions.

;In-. .stil1 sfurther modification, .the -cross .arm ..elements may consist .in Jeeps 1100 1 6i ;.wire -..or plasticmaterial,rasshowninlliigurelfi. Thememrbersi 10c .mayrbe .provided withmointedeends".that .are ,pinned L.into.the; bddyxQf the rban df'fi c. lIn yetanother rvariant the. crossiarm elements may -eomprisehook shaped membersias showninrperspective in Figure'9, and these hookshapedmemhers-may be aprovided with epointe'd en'lds -l=to be rsecured-initherbodies of the verticalibaridsdn rthe samemanner-as the leopsiflc, Figure-'8. IThelhook form of .the cross farm .lementpermits such. elements tor-be .rea'diIyLhQoke'd .tororiunhooked from the/cord -9, andravoidsthelnecessity .of .pulling 'the .cords-outcof the ablin'd structure .to remove :thehangers.

r -Figuresl0 and,1 1 serveitoLilIuStrateQthat Lthe .membersdidand fidof tha-hangerimayrbe'iformed of flexible-ccrd toiwhicli loops IiIldr'and I (dot. cord aresseverally .united by..means uof l'metalsclipsaor ferrulesl8.

5 vJflromthe.foregoingdescription, thez artisamwill perceive .that .asreat .var'ietysof .modifications may .be made .in the form :of ..the rhangerimemf bers. Instead of the cords 5'21 .and 6d, flexible i chainmay be used; and'ins'tead ofthe band '5; and

'6, "a series of'articulated links' or "plates of'metal "ff'hematerial of which the hanger member; 5

' 1 or defiectedalongithelines 13 where the material --remains unseveredztoiprovi'de the cross arm lements lll; the resulting'openings I4 which remain riniithe iband :servingito: augment, rather "thanrde- .tractrfrom, the attractiveappearance desired in '.:the ultimate procluct. And from the bodies "of such straps i the :rperforations 12 may be cut-in consists in the provision'zef' s 't 4 or other *material may prove "serviceable. Itris needless to illustrate all-6f "the various modifications that lie within theFambit ofithe "appended "claims. ".fI he -important feature 'of -the invention -'supperting "cross members "i-that rare stormed 36f elements :carried xsome'by' therffro'nt .hangeri member "and some iby the back hanger memberpandtdetachablyzinterengaged-t'o completejalslat+supporting hanger for a Venetian blind. ZPheadvantages-mf suchzsconstruction are manifold, and will be selfeevident vto,thoseskilled..in,the1art. Y

, o .1. Inna ZVenetian blindiincluding .asupporti "bar, ":two'-horizontallyespaced flexiblerladderalike 5 hangerssuspendedifrom said..bar,.a.seriesofeslats supported in vertical spaced'relation' by the cross arms of said ladder-like hangers, and a cord extending downward from the supporting bar at each hanger and extending through openings in the slats; the invention herein described wherein said ladder-like hangers each comprise two flexible hanger members extending vertically upon the front and rear edges of the series of slats, and a series of spaced cross arm elements secured to each hanger member and extending between said slats, the cross arm elements of one hanger member being paired with the cross arm elements of the other hanger member and being interengaged by said cord associated with the hanger to provide slat-supporting cross arms.

2. A hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind having a cord extending vertically of the slats,v

said hanger comprising two flexible vertical hanger members each provided with a vertical series of spaced laterally extending elements, said elements being perforate adjacent their distal ends, whereby said hanger members may be arranged with their laterally extending elements paired for interengagement by said cord to provide supports for said slats.

3. A hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind having a cord extending vertically of the slats, said hanger comprising two flexible vertical hanger members each formed of a band of fabric impregnated with pyroxylin and provided with a vertical series of spaced laterally extending straps formed of the same material, said straps being perforate adjacent their distal ends, whereby said hanger members may be arranged with their straps paired for interengagement by said cord to provide supports for said slats.

4. A hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind having a cord extending vertically of the slats, said hanger comprising two flexible vertical hanger members each formed of a band of flexible material having portions struck and deflected from the body of the band to provide a vertical series of spaced laterally extending perforated straps, whereby said hanger members may be arranged with their straps paired for interengagement by said cord to provide supports for said slats,

5. A hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind having a cord extending vertically of the slats. said hanger comprising two flexible vertical hanger members each formed of a band of fabric impregnated with pyroxylin having perforated portions struck and deflected from the body of the band to provide a vertical series of spaced laterally extending elements, whereby said hanger members may be arranged with their laterally extendin elements paired for interengagement by said cord to provide supports for said slats.

6. An article of manufacture comprising an elongate flexible member having an aligned series of spaced-apart transverse elements secured each at one end thereto, the distal ends of said elements including openings to receive a cord threaded therethrough, whereby a hanger for the slats of a Ventian blind may be constructed, substantially as described.

'7. An article of manufacture comprising an elongate flexible tape having struck and deflected from its body an aligned series of spaced-apart transverse elements, the distal end portions of said elements including perforations to receive a cord threaded therethrough, whereby a hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind may be constructed, substantially as described.

8. In a Venetian blind including a supporting bar, two horizontally spaced flexible ladder-like hangers suspended from said bar, a series of slats supported in vertical spaced relation by the crossmembers of said ladder-like hangers, and a cord extending downward from the supporting bar at each hanger and extending through openings in the slats; the invention herein described wherein each of said ladder-like hangers comprises two flexible hanger members extending vertically upon the front and rear edges of the series of slats, and a series of spaced cross elements secured to each hanger member and extending between said slats, the cross elements of one hanger member being paired with the cross elements of the other hanger member and being recessed for slideably receiving said cord associated with the hanger, the engagement of said cord with the paired cross elements uniting such elements to slat-supporting cross members.

9. In a Venetian blind including a supporting bar, two horizontally spaced flexible ladder-like hangers suspended from said bar, a series of slats supported in vertical spaced relation by the cross members of said ladder-like hangers, and a cord extending downward from the supporting bar at each hanger and extending through openings in the slats; the invention herein described wherein each of said ladder-like hangers comprises two flexible hanger members extending vertically upon the front and rear edges of the series of slats, and a series of spaced cross elements on each hanger member extending between aid slats, each cross element being secured at its outer end to the associate hanger member and being perforate adjacent to its inner end, the cross elements of one hanger member being paired with the cross elements of the other hanger member, and the cord associated with the hanger extending through the perforated inner ends of the cross elements, whereby the paired cross elements are united to provide slat-supporting cross members.

10. A hanger for the slats of a Venetian blind having a cord extending vertically of the slats, said hanger comprising two flexible vertical hanger members each provided with a vertical series of spaced laterally extending elements, said elements being provided adjacent their distal ends with cord-engaging portions, whereby said hanger members may be arranged with the laterally extending elements of one hanger member engaged by said cord to the laterally extending elements of the other hanger member to provide supports for said slats.

GEORGE F. BRENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,103,394 Wade Dec. 28, 1937 

